The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) has proposed adding bicycle lanes and a center turn lane to SE Divison between 60th and 80th. The Bicycle Transportation Alliance and residents in neighborhoods around Division strongly support this project and have joined us in encouraging the city of Portland to extend it 8 blocks further to SE 52nd, where the new 50s bikeway will soon cross.

This is not simply a “bike project.” The fact that people on bicycles could have a safe, dedicated space to ride is just one of many exciting features of this project.

The proposed improvements make walking more pleasant by creating a safe space for people on bicycles separate from the sidewalk. The bicycle lanes also provides a buffer between the sidewalk and auto traffic. The new center turn lane means people driving no longer hold up traffic by making left turns and it creates space for future installation of pedestrian islands to make crossing the street safer.

We need your help to get the word out. You should attend the public meeting if you can, but you can also help by telling people about the many benefits of this proposal:

Turning left on and off Division won’t block other traffic

Crossing the street on foot will be less stressful

Speeding on Division will be reduced while maintaining the same total traffic volume

Riding a bicycle on Division will be safer

All together the improvements to Division are expected to reduce crashes by nearly a third!

We’ve created a flyer (PDF) about the changes to help get the word out, too.

Comments (4)

This will reflect the changes made on the other side of SE 82nd, including pedestrian crossings & a pedestrian bridge. One addition to this that would be great would be to make it easier for bikes to get to/from Division & the Clinton/etc east-west bike route. Right now, it’s a roundabout adventure that undoes the great work of having that bike route.

Wish I could have attended. Since I live one block south of Division I’m excited about the changes and hope it happens quickly.

Though I do wish and hope that there are plans for new lay out or lighting system to address the SE 76th/75th intersection. I can see potential problems with the turn lanes at this staggered intersection with people trying to turn south on 75th from Division with people trying to turn north on 76th from Division. Perhaps a new light system controlling both intersections with a single control scheme complete with a bike crossing light too?

The intersection you describe is one of many places in the city where it would probably be nice to have a signal. The bad news is, signals aren’t cheap and that’s probably outside the scope of this project’s budget. The good news is, the changes being proposed can potentially pave the way for more improvements (like median islands for pedestrians). There’s no reason not to ask. That’s why our organization is encouraging the city to continue this project west another eight blocks to connect to the new 50s bikeway.

As a regular rider and driver of this stretch of Division, I’m all for adding the bike lanes and slowing down traffic. Lincoln street is my typical daily bike route and I usually skip 60th and go down 59th to avoid the traffic. If there is any way to safely connect Lincoln to the proposed Division bike lanes by extending down to 59th and maybe 58th to connect over to Woodward and Clinton.